Sens. Allard & Salazar Push Incentives for Land Conservation and Restoration

WASHINGTON, DC- Today, the Senate Finance Committee approved a natural resources tax package that includes incentives for conservation and land restoration in our Nation and in Colorado. Senator Salazar, a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Senator Allard supported two specific proposals that will create critical natural resources tax incentives that will impact the State of Colorado.

• Permanently extending the tax deduction for contributions to conservation easements: Senators Salazar and Allard are co-sponsors of legislation (S.469) that would permanently extend the tax deduction for charitable contributions by individuals and corporations of real property interests for conservation purposes. Conservation easements have been tremendously successful in preserving open space and wildlife habitat. Last year, the Congress recognized this by providing targeted income tax relief to small farmers and ranchers who wish to make a charitable contribution of a qualified conservation easement. The Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act of 2007 would make this allowable deduction permanent, building on the success of the easements.

“We must ensure that we protect our open spaces and natural resources for those that come after us,” said Senator Salazar. “We must do all that we can to help hardworking farmers and ranchers preserve the precious heritage of our agricultural and ranching land without interrupting how they operate their businesses. We must all work together to protect Colorado’s natural resources.”

“Colorado is a leader in conservation easements and they have been tremendously successful in preserving open space and wildlife habitat,” said Senator Allard. “This legislation represents a reaffirmation of the commitment by Congress to help preserve our pristine natural treasures.”

• Creating new tax incentives related to the recovery and restoration of endangered species: Senators Salazar and Allard are co-sponsors of legislation (S.700) that would provide financial incentives for private land owners including farmer and ranchers, to facilitate the recovery of threatened and endangered species, while preserving the opportunities for productive use of land. The Endangered Species Recovery Act would provide $400 million annually in new tax credits and offer deductions and exclusions to farmers and ranchers who take steps to facilitate the recovery of engendered or threatened species on the properties they own. Species that could be protected in Colorado include: Piping Plover, Least Tern, and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, among others.

“Farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists. They know best the habitat needs of many of our threatened species because they live and work on the same lands,” said Salazar. “It makes sense to provide farmers, ranchers and other landowners the tools they need to maintain portions of their land for our endangered plants and animals.”

“Several years ago, I became a charter member of a bipartisan working group in the Senate to develop legislation to improve the Endangered Species Act and this legislation is the culmination of our efforts,” said Senator Allard. “The Endangered Species Act has been around for 30 years. In that time, over 1,300 species have been listed, but only a handful of them have been recovered. We can do better. We know that we can get better results when we work with land owners on recovery instead of against them. I am pleased to collaborate with Senator Salazar on this important effort.”

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